Gaza Hands Over Four Dead Today and Six Living Prisoners Tomorrow… Toward Second-Phase Negotiations / Aoun and Waltz Work to Implement the Withdrawal Agreement… As the Occupation Expands Its Attacks After the Deadline

 February 20, 2025

The political editor wrote

With the upcoming prisoner exchange set for tomorrow, Saturday, the resistance will hand over the bodies of four dead Israeli captives today, followed by six living prisoners tomorrow. In return, more than 600 Palestinian detainees will be freed, including over 50 serving life sentences. As this first phase nears completion, the contours of the second phase remain unclear, with Israel once again raising the same obstacles that had stalled negotiations for months, chief among them the issue of Gaza’s governance post-withdrawal. Meanwhile, the resistance holds firm to its leverage, retaining captured Israeli officers and soldiers. It does not oppose a governance arrangement for Gaza under the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, overseen by Egypt, with a technocratic social support committee managing reconstruction. However, the Israeli occupation, emboldened by U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements on the forced displacement of Gaza’s population, has further radicalised under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, complicating any prospects for a second-phase agreement.

In South Lebanon, after securing control over the hilltops it refuses to relinquish, the occupation has faced no objection from the U.S., the supposed guarantor of the ceasefire agreement. Both the UN and UNIFIL have affirmed that Israel’s continued presence violates the terms of the agreement and constitutes a breach of Resolution 1701. Nevertheless, the occupation has escalated its assaults, targeting residents of border villages, as seen in Aita al-Shaab. Meanwhile, Lebanon continues diplomatic efforts, with a notable development being a call between President General Joseph Aoun and U.S. National Security Advisor Mark Waltz. Their discussion included an assessment of the situation in the south and a reaffirmation of Washington’s commitment to assisting Lebanon in fully implementing the ceasefire agreement.

At the same time, Lebanon and the broader region turn their attention to the impending funeral of Hezbollah Secretary-General Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and his successor, Martyr Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, scheduled for Sunday. February 23 is set to become a historic milestone as Lebanese, Arabs, and freedom fighters worldwide bid farewell to an exceptional leader in the struggle against imperialist hegemony. With logistical and media preparations now complete, prominent figures from the Arab world and beyond have begun arriving for the momentous event. Across Lebanon, people are preparing to converge on Beirut’s Sports City Stadium on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Elias Bou Saab confirmed official Lebanese participation in the funeral, while the Syrian Social Nationalist Party has called upon its members, supporters, and the wider public to turn out in force for the grand farewell.